A/N: Well, it's been a while since I've written a Ninja Turtle fanfic. This is going to be six chapters, which is exciting to me since I've been in a oneshot rut lately. I really had no idea what genre and such this would be, so I just picked something that sounded good. Any suggestoins, let me know.
Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, I don't want to own the TMNT, and if I did own the TMNT, I wouldn't be writing fanfictions about the TMNT because I would have complete control over the TMNT in the first place. Any questions?
It was the night I learned not to be so judgy.
When I was real young I liked to explore way farther away from home than I ever went with my brothers. I liked to separate myself from the group, I guess, even then. I had a stretch of sewer all to myself, where no turtle had gone before, until Leo found it and told Splinter that I was sneaking off. No one even thought to mention that Leo would have had to follow me all the way out there in order to obtain this bit of information.
Still, I kept sneaking off, only in the other direction. This time I actually found a whole maze of tunnels that no one knew about. I wasn't even sure Splinter had gone this deep into the sewer. There really wasn't any reason to, unless you were a stubborn little brat like me who would do anything out of spite.
I told that story to tell this one, and this is the day I met the guy who would teach me a pretty important lesson. Ten years after I found that secluded maze of tunnels, I went there after a fight with Mikey that I felt really bad about. He had been annoying me, and I told him to leave me alone, which of course had no effect, which led me to tell him to leave me alone until he grows up, after which he looked at me all sad-like so I stormed out. What else was I supposed to do? Apologize? No, thanks.
Anyway, I'm in this dark tunnel, just sitting there against the wall thinking about how long it will take before Mikey will get over what I said and beg me to play video games with him as soon as I walk in the door. It won't take long, I decide. Mikey isn't the type to hold a grudge.
A manhole a couple yards away opens, and I squint. Now, I know there's a manhole there. Okay? It's one of my many escape routs, and my own personal shortcut for when it's my turn to get the pizza. But forgive me for not really expecting some kid to hop down the ladder, panting for air like he just ran a marathon.
From the light streaming in, he sees me instantly. My eyes are still adjusting, but I know what's coming. "Ah, real monsters!" Or something like that.
He just stares at me and says, "Oh, I... didn't know anyone else would be here."
I don't really know what to do. Do I laugh? Run? Punch his face in? Those are my three default reactions, and they haven't failed me yet.
So I have no idea why I say, "You can see me, right?" Maybe because this is a whole new experience for me.
"Oh, I know you guys. You threw me into a wall last week." He doesn't even crack a smile when he says it, so I'm pretty sure he's serious.
I take a minute to look him over, wondering if I'll recognize him. He's tall, but young. Maybe sixteen, maybe not. His hair is sticking up in all directions, which completes his disheveled appearance. Through the darkness I can't pick out much more than that.
"You a Dragon?" I guess.
"No, just your generic delinquent..." He climbs back up the ladder again to peek out the manhole. "I believe I met you during a hardware store robbery."
Aha. I do remember that one. He was with a couple other guys, though, and I can't remember which one he was.
That's when I hear the sirens.
The kid drops back down, leaving the manhole cover cracked open.
Of course, my sense of duty kicks in and I think about knocking the kid out then and there and leaving him to the cops. Obviously that's why he's running. Something else kicks in, though, that makes that idea seem somehow dirty. Wrong. Like I'm breaking some code. I ignore that kick and stand up.
"I should turn you in," I say, preparing a whole string of catch phrases to use before I knock him out.
"Go for it."
That throws me for a loop. "You're not running from the cops?" I ask.
"Yeah," he replies. "But if I run anymore, I'm going to puke. And I don't feel like fighting you again. I still have a scar." And he pushes up his shirt sleeve to show me a long line running up his forearm. Now I remember. I got him with my sai.
Of course. He was wearing the same Batman tee shirt he wore now.
The sirens pass and eventually fade away.
I shrug, for some reason not feeling bad about letting the guy go. "Stay out of trouble, will you?" I say before I turn to leave. But the next time I turn to make sure he's not following, he's already climbing out.